And so as in all stories, characters need to meet. It was plain enough, she needed a knife. Finding one turned out to be not as easy as she first thought, the problem being that most of the desolate city sat under a mire of plant life. One monstrosity remained unscathed, centered upon several acres of asphalt. Another smaller building, a tenth its size, stood alongside it. From her vantage, Leah figured that most, if not all of its inventory had been carried away by the armful. But still, it was worth a look-see. Summer had passed, leaving in its wake the cooler winds of fall. The populated trees waved their leaves colored with crimson and gold, Leah striding underneath, heading down to the blacktop. Bounding up the gritty steps leading to the heavy looking doors, Leah paused, peering through the dark colored glass, giving up as she yanked on the cylinder handle. The door scraped open, sending a chilling grind throughout the dusty remnants of what used to be Ben’s Burgers and More. Stepping across the threshold, Leah ventured inside, immediately smelling the stench. Daylight seeped through the upper panes, affording a bit of light. Making her way to the entrance marked, “Employees Only”, she pushed through. The sour decay of vegetables and meat had her retching before Leah gained control, keeping a hand under her nose avoiding the closed walk-in. Passing its stainless door, she headed to the very back room where the pearl divers did their work. The room was tiny compared to the rest. Leah didn’t care, relishing on the row of handles. She pulled the first, finding the blade too thin and far from the length she required. Allowing it to drop, Leah’s fingers danced to the next, lifting another handle, hoping it was the one. Its thick blade and honed edge gave her reason, selecting it among the others. Delighted with her found treasure, Leah left what once was, bidding the structure goodwill, hurrying back into the thicket the world had become. Easing back into the greenery, Leah gave herself a moment to rest and time to focus on her upcoming trek. Squatting down to her haunches, Leah removed the satchel, drawing out her recent find. Bringing its sharp edge close, a young boy appeared from nowhere, coming to a stop in front of her. Leah held her position, he staring at her, she at him. “Where is your Ma,” she asked, “And why are you out here alone?” The boy fidgeted, glancing down to his worn boots then back up to her inquiring eyes. “Ma wrote something, it’s in here,” the boy answered, pulling up a rawhide braid hanging below his shirt. Handing over a leather pouch to the woman, Leah accepted it. Untying its bounds, she retrieved the folded paper from its cramped space. The lettering was crude but she made out the spelling, “he be abraham.” The bottom of the pouch held a small lot of copper, her knowing its value. Leah turned to the boy, “Abraham, you and I will be fine. Come on, it’s time to go.” Abraham smiled, asking, “Where are we going?” “To the river,” Leah answered, grabbing the boy’s hand.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 02:22:10 +0000
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